Justin Vineyards donates $100,000 to SLO County nonprofits

December 3, 2016

Justin Vineyards & Winery donated $100,000 to 20 organizations serving the North San Luis Obispo County area last week, according to a press release. The winery is owned by Stewart and Lynda Resnick’s Wonderful Co.

Earlier this year, some local restaurant owners and residents began boycotting Justin products after learning that the company had clear-cut thousands of oak trees.

Nevertheless,  Justin has a history of supporting local nonprofits. Since 2013, Justin has donated over $500,000 to local organizations.

“We have a long-standing commitment to investing in the communities where our employees live and work,” said David Ricanati, president of Justin Vineyards & Winery. “Our grants program and awards to these particular organizations reflect our continuing determination to remain fully engaged in every aspect of North County’s philanthropic, social, and civic life.”

The 20 organizations which received a $5,000 grant last week:

Adelaida Historical Foundation – Helping make the Adelaida School House handicap accessible.

Boys and Girls Club of North SLO County – Funding Summer Brain Gain for 100 kids, a program that provides  two hours of high-yield learning activities per day to reduce summer learning loss.

CASA San Luis Obispo County – Funding a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) supervisor in North County, who will be responsible for training CASA volunteers to represent more than 60 abused or neglected youth in court.

El Camino Homeless Organization – Funding 10 additional beds to expand the Atascadero shelter’s capacity as well as dressers for clients to store personal belongings so that they can feel safe and at home.

Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County – Funding the purchase of fresh produce to be distributed to families in need at the Farmer’s Markets in Shandon and San Miguel.

Jack’s Helping Hand – Funding vouchers for transportation, food and housing for families who must travel out of the area for children’s medical appointments.

NCI Affiliates Inc. – Funding five new computers for an education program that helps adults with developmental disabilities build social skills and prepare for employment.

One Cool Earth  – Funding a coordinator to recruit and manage volunteers to support educational garden programming at six elementary schools in Atascadero.

Paso Robles Department of Emergency Services – Funding for two display monitors that will be installed in the Emergency Operations Center to disseminate emergency information to first responders.

Paso Robles Library Foundation – Funding to purchase books and other materials to expand the library’s Spanish language collection and increase library use by the Spanish-speakers.

Paso Robles Main Street – Funding to replace three worn out wooden benches with metal ones in the downtown business area.
Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation – Supporting free art, drama, music and dance classes for 160 under-privileged students.

Rise San Luis Obispo County – Funding a security gate at the Atascadero Shelter, which houses victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Studios On The Park – Supporting free field trips for 150 K-5 students to visit the art studio and take an art lesson with teaching artists.

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County – Supporting outdoor science and education, and youth environmental leadership development at Santa Margarita Elementary.

The Wellness Kitchen and Resource Center – Funding a new stove, prep table, and online ordering system to increase the number of meals for individuals and families facing critical illness, disease, and recovery.

Transitional Food & Shelter – Supporting around-the-clock shelter, food, and supportive services for homeless individuals who are too ill or injured to be adequately served in traditional shelters.

Transitions Mental Health Association – Supporting mental health services, such as counseling, anger management, and crisis prevention at a new location in Paso Robles.

United Cerebral Palsy of San Luis Obispo County – Funding swings for a new universally-accessible playground in Atascadero that will be safe for children with special needs.

Vineyard Team  – Supporting research and technical assistance on best practices in water conservation and irrigation.